Chef Telly’s Valentine Emoji Sugar Cookies

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time. Wait for the egg to be completely incorporated into the sugar/butter mixture until you add the second egg. Add vanilla and scrape down the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed until everything becomes smooth. Place all-purpose flour and baking powder in a bowl and mix them together. Scrape down the mixing bowl and pour all of the dry ingredients in. Turn mixer on low and mix just until the dough comes together. Scrape finished dough from the sided and knead until it becomes a ball. Wrap and let rest for five minutes before rolling out. The good thing about this sugar cookie recipe is that you don’t need to chill the dough before rolling out, so it can be prepared whenever you want to make cookies.

In an electric mixing bowl, place powdered sugar and cream of tartar and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are combined. Pour in the egg whites or the meringue mixture and let mix until everything becomes a paste. Turn mixer to medium-high speed and let it whip for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy but stiff. Then add in your flavoring of choice and mix until it is incorporated. Color accordingly.

To make the outlining icing, add 1/2-3/4 teaspoon of water per cup of royal icing. Make sure to color before you add water or else your colors will not be as bright.

To make the flooding icing, add 2-3 teaspoons of water per cup of royal icing. Make sure to color before you add water or else your colors will not be as bright. Try not to over mix this because there will too many bubbles and you won’t have a clean finish when the icing dries.

“The most important tool when baking is your imagination. Never be afraid to get creative!” – Chef Telly